Cyclonic smelting apparatus

ABSTRACT

A cyclonic smelting apparatus developed especially for carrying out both smelting and converting operations on copper-bearing materials to produce blister copper. A closed cylindrical vessel is disposed with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical and has a discharge orifice at its lower end. At least one means is provided for injecting tangentially into the vessel a pressurized stream of particulate copper-bearing material and an oxygencontaining gas, so that a vortical flow of such stream takes place within the vessel toward the discharge orifice. At least one means is also provided for introducing a stream of copperbearing material and an oxygen-containing gas downwardly into the vessel along the axis thereof, so there is comingling of the tangentially injected and the axially introduced materials. Heating means are provided for raising the temperature within the vessel sufficiently to induce autogeneous or partially autogeneous smelting reactions.

United States Patent 1 1 Foard 1 Sept. 18, 1973 CYCLONIC SMELTING APPARATUS Primary Examiner-Gerald A. Dost [75] Inventor: James E. Foard, Salt Lake City, Utah Almmeyphlhp Maumckmdt at [73] Assignee: Kennecott Copper Corporation, New 57] ABSTRACT York, NY. A cyclonic smelting apparatus developed especially for [22] Filed: 1971 carrying out both smelting and converting operations 211 App], 207 042 on copper-bearing materials to produce blister copper.

A closed cylindrical vessel is disposed with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical and has a discharge ori- [52] US. Cl. 266/10, 75/9, 266/24 flee at its |ower At hast one means is provided for [51] Int. Cl. F27b 15/00 injecting tangential), into the vessel a pressurized [58] Field of Search 266/24, 9, 10; 75/9, Stream of particulate coppepbearing material and an 75/24 91 oxygen-containing gas, so that a vortical flow of such stream takes place within the vessel toward the dis- [56] References cued charge orifice. At least oncmeans is also provided for UNITED STATES PATENTS introducing a stream of copper-bearing material and an 1 817,414 4/1906 Brown 266/10 Oxygen-containing downwardly into the vessel 2,l94, t54 3/1940 Greenawalt. 266/10 along the axis thereof, so there is comingling of the tan- 2,503,555 4/1950 Lykken 75/9 gentially injected and the axially introduced materials. 2,668,107 2/1954 Gordon et al 75/74 Heating means are provided for ailsing the temperature 2,930,687 3/1960 75/9 within the vessel sufficiently to induce autogeneous or Derham 75/9 partially autogeneous smelting reactions.

Yannopoulos 75/74 11 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAIENIED 8 INVENTOR. JAMES E. FOARD ATTO NEYS 1 CYCLONIC SMELTING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field: This invention relates to a cyclonic apparatus for smelting copper-bearing materials.

State of the Art: It has long been an objective in the copper processing industry to develop a'cyclonic apparatus capable of combining into one operation the functions of reverberatory furnaces for smelting copper-bearing material and of copper convertors wherein the copper matte from the reverberatory furnace is converted into blister copper.

' Several attempts at combining the smelting and converting operations have been made utilizing a cylindri cal shaped cyclone. For example, as described in technical articles written by Russian investigators, e.g., V. D. Budon et al., Cyclone Smelting of Dzhezkazgansk Copper Concentrates directly into. Crude Copper, Akad. Nauk. KazSSR, TXIX 1966. In these constructions, introduction of the copper-bearing material into the cyclone tangentially to its circumference results in undesirably slow throughput of the material due to relatively small diameter of the cyclone required to maintain vortical flow. More importantly, however, tangential input generates considerably back pressure and turbulence, which limits the rate of smelting possible with a cyclone reactor.

Other apparatus for smelting copper materials have utilized axial feed into shafts wherein the copper material is introduced at one end of the shaft and discharges at the other end into integral settling vessels. This method of smelting has been described by Petri Bryk, et al., Flash Smelting Copper- Concentrates, in Journal of Metals, June, 1958, pp. 395-400. Of necessity, the shafts must be large, on the order of 12 feet in diameter and 26 feet long, in order to provide sufficient retention time for the material within the shaft to smelt. Furthermore, it is necessary that the copper material be absolutely dry, thus eliminating the use of copper concentrates containing the customary 7 percent -.13 percent residual water. The resulting product from the shaft processing is normally a high grade matte, rather than the desired blister copper, because the passage of material is too rapid and quiescent directly to result in a blister copper product comparable to the copper produced by conventional converters.

Objectives: It was an objective in producing this invention to provide a cyclonic apparatus which would be capable of smelting and converting in a single vessel particulate metal-bearing material into a substantially upgraded metal product, and significantly increasing the throughput of material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, a cyclonic apparatus is provided for smelting increased amounts of particulate metal-bearing material and upgrading the metal-bearing feed material therein to a higher grade product in a single vessel. The apparatus is particularly effective in smelting and converting copper-bearing materials into a product of blister copper quality. The apparatus includes a closed cylindrical vessel disposed with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical and having a discharge orifice at the lower end thereof. The vessel preferably has its lower portion tapered inwardly to form a discharge orifice which is somewhat smaller vessel is preferably lined with refractory material and adapted to discharge downwardly into an appropriate receiving vessel.

The apparatus has at least one means for injecting a pressurized stream of particulate metal-bearing material and an oxygen-bearing gas, tangentially into the vessel. If more than one such pressurized tangential stream is employed, it is preferred that the streams be injected at different levels from the top, and equidis tantly from each other around the circumference, of the vessel, thereby creating a downwardly directed vortical flow of material within the vessel. The apparatus also has means for injecting a stream of particulate copper-bearing material and oxygen-bearing gas axially into the vessel through the upper end thereof, thereby providing for input of additional particulate matter and for intimate contact, and comingling of such matter with the tangential feed streams. Preferably, the axially directed stream of material is divided into at least two streams which flow into the vessel near the circumferential walls thereof. Such an arrangement provides for efficient interminglingof the material from the axially flowing stream with the material from the tangentially flowing feed stream, and also serves to diminish the degree of impingement of the tangentially flowing feed particles on the interior of the walls.

Heating means is provided for raising the temperature of the interior of the vessel to a point at which autogeneous or partially autogeneous reactions of metal-bearing material with oxygen take place. Such autogeneous reaction smelts the metal-bearing particulate matter and converts the metal values contained therein to blister quality metal, as the material flows in a vortical path downwardly through the vessel.

THE DRAWING The best mode presently contemplated of carrying out the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. I is a view in perspective of the apparatus, showing the cylindrical vessel and tangential feed in- P FIG. 2, a longitudinal vertical section of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3, a transverse plan section of the apparatus taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIGS. 1-3, a preferred embodiment of the inventive cyclonic apparatus for use with copperbearing material has an enclosed cylindrical vessel 10 constructed preferably of sheet steel 11 and lined with in diameter than the upper portion of the vessel. The

refractory material 12. Vessel 10 may be constructed in sections and attached together by means of flanges 13 appropriately bolted or welded to form an air-tight seal. The vessel is disposed with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical, and may rest upon a receiving vessel 14, for collecting the processed blister quality copper and gangue materials which may flow from vessel 10. The lower portion 15 of the vessel 10 is preferably tapered inwardly to provide a discharge orifice 16 in the lower end of the vessel, which is smaller in diameter than the upper vessel portion. The top of the vessel is sealed by a refractory-lined cap 17 to prevent the escape of any gaseous matter which may be injected into, or formed within the vessel.

In this embodiment, means are provided for tangentially introducing two pressurized feed streams containing a mixture of particulate copper-bearing material, such as copper concentrates or ores, and oxygen gas. The means comprise a pair of feed pipes 18 and 19 which are attached to the circumferential walls of vessel and enter the vessel tangentially to the interior surface thereof. As shown in FIG. 3, the feed pipes 18, 19 are disposed on opposite sides of the vessel with feed pipe 18 entering the vessel on a plane below that of pipe 19. Such a configuration provides for an improved flow of material vortically within vessel 10 and enables greater amounts of material to be tangentially injected into the vessel for increased efficiency of operation.

Each feed pipe 18, 19 has an oxygen lance 20, 21 with a pressure tip 22, 23 disposed concentrically within the feed pipe. The lance tip is preferably located at the junction of the horizontal feed pipe with a downwardly extending input line 24, 25 for introducing particulate copper-bearing material into the feed line. The lance tip is positioned to create a suction within the feed pipe to increase the flow of particulate matter into the vessel by the pressure of the oxygen gas from the lance. Each input line 24, 25 has a valving device 26, 27 therein for controlling the flow of particulate material into the feed line, and is connected in this embodiment to an overhead screw-type feeder 28, 2) for feeding particulate material to the apparatus. The injection means is adapted to utilize any pressurized oxygenbearing gas, such as air, oxygen-enriched air or pure oxygen itself. The tangential position of the feed pipes is adapted to provide vortical flow of the material within the interior of the vessel.

The means for introducing the mixture of particulate matter and oxygen-bearing gas downwardly into vessel 10 corresponds in this embodiment to an axial feed pipe 30 connected at its upper end to a screw-type feeder 31 and having a valving device 32 for controlling the flow of particulate copper-bearing material therethrough. Below valve 32, an oxygen lance 33 is attached to pipe 30 and is adapted to introduce oxygenbearing gas into the axial feed pipe to mix with the incoming particulate material. Below the oxygen input level, feed line 30 may be divided into two channels 34, 35 which enter vessel 10 through cap 17. If desired, one or more such inputs can be employed, and they can be placed at any desired location in cap 17. In the present embodiment, it is preferred to dispose the channels near the circumferential walls of vessel 10, thereby enhancing the probability of increased comingling of the particulate matter from the axial feed pipe with the tangential feed. Such placement has the beneficial effect of reducing the impinging effect of the tangentially flowing particles against the interior surface of the vessel wall.

The means for heating the vessel interior is shown in FIG. 2 as a downwardly-directed axial line 36 extending through cap 17 into the vessel. A gaseous fuel, such as natural gas or the like, can be burned at the upper end of the vessel interior to raise the temperature sufficiently to induce an autogeneous or partially autogeneous reaction between the oxygen and copper-bearing material. If higher temperature increases are necessary, or if additional heat is required in the central reaction zone, additional heaters can be disposed along the length of the vessel.

Whereas this invention is illustrated and described herein with respect to certain preferred forms thereof, it is to be understood that many variations are possible without departing from the inventive concept particularly pointed out in the claims.

I claim:

1. Cyclonic smelting apparatus for smelting and converting ore material, comprising in combination:

a closed cylindrical vessel mounted with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical and having a discharge orifice at its lower end;

means for introducing a pressurized feed stream containing a mixture of particulate, ore-bearing material and oxygen gas tangentially into said vessel through its circumferential side, resulting in vortical flow of the mixture downwardly through the vessel;

means for introducing a feed stream containing a mixture of particulate, ore-bearing material and oxygen gas longitudinally into the vessel through the upper end thereof for intimate contact with the vortically flowing mixture; and

means for heating the mixture within the vessel.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the lower portion of the vessel is tapered inwardly toward the discharge orifice.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein means are provided for introducing a plurality of feed streams tangentially into the vessel.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the means for introducing the plurality of tangential feed streams are equidistant from each other about the circumference of the vessel.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the means for introducing the plurality of tangential feed streams are arranged, respectively, at different levels from the upper end of the vessel.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein means are provided for introducing a plurality of feed streams longitudinally in the vessel from the upper end thereof.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the longitudinally directed feed streams are introduced near the circumferential walls of the vessel.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for heating the mixture comprises at least one heater mounted at the upper end of the vessel.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the ap' paratus has an additional heater mounted on the circumferential wall of the vessel.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the discharge orifice of the vessel communicates with a receiving vessel.

11. A method of smelting and converting ore material, comprising introducing a pressurized feed stream of material into a closed cylindrical vessel mounted with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical and having a discharge orifice at its lower end, said feed stream containing a mixture of particulate, ore-bearing material and oxygen gas and being introduced tangentially into said vessel through its circumferential side, resulting in vortical flow of the mixture downwardly through the vessel; introducing a feed stream of material into said vessel through the upper end thereof for intimate contact with the vortically flowing mixture, this stream of material also containing particulate, ore-bearing material and oxygen gas and being introduced longitudinally of the vessel; heating the mixture of materials within the vessel to effect combined smelting and converting of the ore material; and discharging the so smelted and converted ore material through the said discharge orifice at the lower end of the vessel.

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1. Cyclonic smelting apparatus for smelting and converting ore material, comprising in combination: a closed cylindrical vessel mounted with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical and having a discharge orifice at its lower end; means for introducing a pressurized feed stream containing a mixture of particulate, ore-bearing material and oxygen gas tangentially into said vessel through its circumferential side, resulting in vortical flow of the mixture downwardly through the vessel; means for introducing a feed stream containing a mixture of particulate, ore-bearing material and oxygen gas longitudinally into the vessel through the upper end thereof for intimate contact with the vortically flowing mixture; and means for heating the mixture within the vessel.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the lower portion of the vessel is tapered inwardly toward the discharge orifice.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein means are provided for introducing a plurality of feed streams tangentially into the vessel.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the means for introducing the plurality of tangential feed streams are equidistant from each other about the circumference of the vessel.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein the means for introducing the plurality of tangential feed streams are arranged, respectively, at different levels from the upper end of the vessel.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein means are provided for introducing a plurality of feed streams longitudinally in the vessel from the upper end thereof.
 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the longitudinally directed feed streams are introduced near the circumferential walls of the vessel.
 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the means for heating the mixture comprises at least one heater mounted at the upper end of the vessel.
 9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein the apparatus has an additional heater mounted on the circumferential wall of the vessel.
 10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the discharge orifice of the vessel communicates with a receiving vessel.
 11. A method of smelting and converting ore material, comprising introducing a pressurized feed stream of material into a closed cylindrical vessel mounted with its longitudinal axis substantially vertical and having a discharge orifice at its lower end, said feed stream containing a mixture of particulate, ore-bearing material and oxygen gas and being introduced tangentially into said vessel through its circumferential side, resulting in vortical flow of the mixture downwardly through the vessel; introducing a feed stream of material into said vessel through the upper end thereof for intimate contact with the vortically flowing mixture, this stream of material also containing particulate, ore-bearing material and oxygen gas and being introduced longitudinally of the vessel; heating the mixture of materials within the vessel to effect combined smelting and converting of the ore material; and discharging the so smelted and converted ore material through the said discharge orifice at the lower end of the vessel. 